Automatic winch rope winder



Dec. 15, 1953 Filed Dec. 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HOWHRD D.BROWN ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1953 H. D. BROWN ,7

AUTOMATIC WINCH ROPE WINDER Filed Dec. 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTORHOWHRD D. BROWN ATTORNE Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE 2,662,703 AUTOMATIC WINCHROPE WlNDER Howard D. Brown, Westfield,N. J.

Application December 8, 1949, Serial-No. 131,717

3 Claims. (Cl. 242.158)

This invention relates to winches commonly employed on trucks and otherapparatus for winding rope, wire rope, cable and the like. Moreparticularly, my invention deals with an automatically actuatedmechanism for guiding a rope or other strand during the windingoperation so as to position the several windings in close proximity toeach other on the spool or drum of the winch. Further, my inventiondeals with an attachment which can be applied to standard winchapparatus, adjustable means being provided for positioning theattachment and for tensioning the drive chain or chains actuating a ropeor strand guiding carriage.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a plan viewdiagrammatically outlining a winch and showing myimproved attachment applied thereto, with part of the construction shownin section.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the attachment with part of the constructionbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l on an enlargedscale illustrating the method of applying a drive sprocket to the drumof the winch.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an end view looking in the direction of the lefthand end ofFig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a special chain link construction.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I havediagrammatically shown, in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawing, part of thewinch, as commonly employed on motor vehicles where rope, wire rope,cable or the likeis utilized. to power draw lines or in utilizing thesame for truck loading purposes and other uses for which winches areemployed on such vehicles.

In Fig. 1, l0 representsthe winch drum, the shaft II of the drum beingsupported in suitable bearings I2 and I3 at end portions of the shaft.

Considering Fig. '7 of the drawing, it will appear The automatic winderattachment is generally identified by the reference character I! andthis attachment comprises frames is and 19 at the ends thereof suitablysupported on the frames I l and I6 and, in the frames 18 and [9 aredisposed two vertically alined and spaced guide rods 2!). For purposesofsimplification of the present description, the cable, rope, wire rope orthe like M will be defined as; the strand and, at 22, is shown acarriage movable longitudinally of the rods 26 and operatingasa-guidefor guiding the strand 2| to dispose the windings on the drum ID inclose proximity to each other in the manner illustrated in Fig. l. r

In order to actuate the winding attachment directlyfrom the drum Ill ofthe winch, a sectional drive sprocket 23 is attached to one end of thedrum or a clutch housing portion 24 at said end. Part of the clutch isseen at 25 in Fig. 5 of the drawing. 'Inthis figure, I have indicatedthe method of attaching the drive sprocket 23, which consists in using asplit centering plate 26 of the general form illustrated in Fig. 6 ofthe drawing. The plate is split horizontally, as seen at 21, whereas thesectional drive sprocket 23 is split vertically, as seen at 28, part ofthe sprocket being shown in Fig. 6. In order to simplify the relativepositioning of the two parts, namely the centering plate and thesprocket, the centering plate is made of a modified octagon form havingfour short edges and four long edges, two of the short edges havingclosely arranged pairs of holes, as at 29, and the other short edgeportions have widely spaced holes as at 30. By means of thisconstruction, screws arranged in the holes 29 and v3|! will engagecorrespondingly spaced threaded-holes in the drive sprocket 23 in orderto make an assemblage of the sprocket and centering plate on .apreassembled winch mechanism. The centering plate, when assembled withthe sprocket 23, has an axial hole 3| which fits snugly upon the sleeveportion 25' of the clutch 25 and, after the assemblage, the gear 23 isheld firmly upon 'the face of the housing 24 and is then welded theretoat", note Fig. 5, after which,

the centering plate 28 is removed. In Fig. 1 of the drawi the drivesprocket 23 alone is shown.

Considering Fig. 7 of the drawing, it will appear that the frame I8includes bearing portions 33 for the guide rods'20 and also a table orplatform 34 for the support or a gear reduction mechanism 35, on theshaft 3i 0! which is a sprocket 31. An'adjustable idler sprocket is alsodisposed on the frame 18 and over these sprockets and the drive sprocket23 is arranged a drive 3 chain 39, as diagrammatically seen in Fig. 7 ofthe drawing.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, part of the reduction mechanism 35 isindicated and this mechanism actuates a sprocket 40, over which ispassed a drive chain 4| which also passes around a supplemental drivesprocket 42 constituting the drive sprocket of the attachment II. On theshaft supporting and actuating thesprocket 40 is a bracket arm 43adjustable through a medium of a rod 43. The arm 43 supports an idlersprocket 44 for tensioning the chain 42 and also to compensate foradjustments of a bracket arm 45 adjustably clamped on to the rods 20, asindicated at 46. At this time, it will be apparent that adjustment ofthe bracket arm 45 issuch as to provide full movement of the carriage 22to the left in the operation of the winder. On the shaft of thesupplementa1 drive sprocket 42 are arranged a series of three smalldiameter sprockets 41, over which pass a series of three drive chains,indicated at 48. The chains 48 also pass over another series of threesmall sprockets 49 having a shaft 50 mounted in a curved arm The arm 5|has a pair of bearings 52 through which the rods 20 pass. The rodsextend to and are fixed in bearings 53 in the frame l9. Also supportedin the frame I9 is an adjustment screw 54 engaging a threaded socket 55in the arm 5 I, particularly in tensioningthe chains 48 after the partshave been adjusted to the desired positions on the rod and,particularly, after fixing the position of the arm 45. The screw 54,similar to the screw 54, can also be included on the frame I8,particularly when it might be desirable to adjust the arm 45 rather thanthe arm 5|. It will be apparent that, after alladjustments are made, thearms are clamped into position on the rods 20 by the split headconstruction employed as is common in other devices of this kind.

At this time, it might bewell to point out that with differentinstallations, it may be essential to employ different frames l8 and I9to adapt the same to different attachments and, in some instances, adifferent length of chain 4| may be necessary, as well as differentlengths in the rods 20 and, again, the length of the chains 48 may vary.

As far as the drive is concerned, the gear reduction taken in,consideration with the size of sprockets 40-42 employed will provide atiming for actuation of the chains 48 to be consistent with the rotationof the drum to provide proper guide of the strand inthe winding thereofon the drum.

The carriage 22 has a slide comprising two bearing portions 56 forslidable mounting on the rods 20. Attached to the slide is a' forwardlydirected pin 51 which passes through a special link 58 constituting partof all of the chains 48 in providing a definite drive of the, carriage22 back and forth on the rods. The pin 51 operates in an elongatedslot59 in the carriage, as best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, so thatthe pin travels upwardly and downwardly in this slot, as the pin 51travels around the sprockets 41 and 49. In Fig. 2 of the drawing, thepin 51 is shown on the upper part of the chain, the feed being fromright to left and, after passing around the sprockets 47, thecarriage 22will be reversed and moved from left to right and this operationcontinues until the complete winding of the strand 2| on the drum lflhasbeen performed.

Fixed in suitable sleeve rmrtion 60 ofthe car- 'i e 22 is a curvedstrand guide frame 6 GO prising a pair of curved rods 82 and the rodsbeing joined at their free ends by a coupling plate 63. Mounted on therods 52 is a slide frame 64 having adjustably supported on the frontthereof a guard plate 55, slotted, as seen at 66, to receive the strand2|. Rearwardly of, but adjacent, the plates 65, the frame supports apair of rollers 61, which are disposed closer to each other than thewidth of the slots 66 so as to provide an anti-frictional guide of thestrand in its passage onto the drum. The frame 64 also supports upperand lower anti-frictional rollers 58 which are horizontally disposed andwould serve to move the slide frame 64 on the rods 62 by the engagementof the strand therewith. In other words, as the diameter of the windingsincrease on the drum, the slide frame 64 will move upwardly.Furthermore, this construction facilitates entrance of the strand atdifferent angles in a winding operation.

The guard plate 55 acts as a stripper, preventing the hand of theoperator from coming in contact with the rollers 51, should the hand ofan operator at any time be in close proximity to these rollers,particularly in initially manually guiding a loose strand to the winder.Normally, however, the carriage 22 automatically cares for guidance ofthe strand, particularly when the strand is utilized in performing adefinite function and is being wound under a pulling load.

By actuating the carriage 22 in back and forth straight line movementover guide rods in the manner disclosed and in utilizing small diame-'ter sprockets in the back and forth reverse driv-' ing of the carriage,a quick reversing is maintained at end portions of the drum, so as toproduce a substantially even lay of the strands side by side throughoutthe full length of the drum. Furthermore, these small diameter sprocketsprovide a substantially constant feed around the sprockets in contrastto the vastly different speeds which would result in utilizing largediameter sprockets.

Bearing the foregoing in mind, it is preferred that the sprockets 41 and49 be formed as a single unit with the pin or shaft thereof. One ofthese units is illustrated clearly in Fig. 4. This. construction ispreferred rather than using independent sprockets arranged upon a smalldiameter pin or shaft.

By reason of the simplicity of the winding attachment I1, the same canbe quickly and easily installed in connection with winches of differenttypes and kinds and by employing the method of attaching the drivesprocket 23 set forth, the attachment can be made without disassemblingthe winches. Different installations of this type and kind can be madeat a nominal cost, not only from the standpoint of material, but alsofrom the stanpoint of labor cost in attachment and adjustment.

It will be apparent that in winding strands of different diameters andon spools or drums of different sizes. the ratio of drive in the takeofffrom the spool or drum to the reduction mechanism I2 can be varied bychanging the relative size of sprockets 40, 42.

Considered in a more general sense, my improved actuating mechanism maybe said to comprise means for converting a rotary drive motion to astraight line reciprocating feeder 'motion, in which a member, such forexample, as

a strand is fed back and forth in a predetermined path and is alsocapable of movement angularly with respect to said back and forthmovement.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A strand guide attachment for Winding apparatus, said attachmentcomprising a pair of vertically spaced guide rods, a carriage slidablyengaging said rods, outwardly extending curved arms adjustably supportedat end portions of the rods, free ends of said arms being disposedcentrally with respect to said rods, groups of small diameter sprocketshaving horizontal shafts mounted in the free ends of said arms formaintaining said sprockets in predetermined spaced relationship to eachother, endless chains operatively engaging said spaced sprockets, a pinslidably supported on the carriage, said pin having a special linkengaging and constituting a link part of all of the chains for movingthe carriage back and forth on said rods in the drive of said chains,and means including a reduction drive mechanism for driving one group ofsprockets in actuation of the chains and said carriage.

2. A strand guide attachment for Winding apparatus including a strandreceiver, said attachment comprising a pair of vertically spaced guiderods, a carriage slidably engaging said rods, outwardly extending curvedarms adjustably sup ported at end portions of the rods, free ends ofsaid arms being disposed centrally with respect to said rods, groups ofsmall diameter sprockets having horizontal shafts mounted in the freeends of said arms for maintaining said sprockets in predetermined spacedrelationship to each other, endless chains operatively engaging saidspaced sprockets, a pin slidably supported on the carriage, said pinhaving a special link engaging and constituting a link part of all ofthe chains for moving the carriage back and forth on said rods in thedrive of said chains, means including a reduction drive mechanism fordriving one group of sprockets in actuation of the chains and saidcarriage, a curved guide frame J 3. A strand guide attachment forWinding apparatus including a strand receiver, said attachmentcomprising a pair of vertically spaced guide rods, a carriage slidablyengaging said rods, outwardly extending curved arms adjustably supportedat end portions of the rods, free ends of said arms being disposedcentrally With respect to said rods, groups of small diameter sprocketshaving horizontal shafts mounted in the free ends of said arms formaintaining said sprocket in predetermined spaced relationship to eachother, endless chains operatively engaging said spaced sprockets a pinslidably supported on the carriage, said pin having a special linkengaging and constituting a link part of all of the chains for movingthe carriage back and forth on said rods in the drive of said chains,means including a reduction drive mechanism for driving one group ofsprockets in actuation of the chains and :-;aid carriage, a curved guideframe on said carriage, said frame extending concentrically over andspaced from said receiver, a slide movably supported on said frame forguiding a strand passed through said slide substantially concentric withrespect to said receiver, said slide including anti-frictional devicesengaged by the strand, and each group of sprockets comprising a shaftportion and a plurality of integral sprocket elements.

HOWARD D. BROWN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 847,178 Hadland Mar. 12, 1907 1,186,909 I-Iuttelmaier June 13,1916 1,935,585 Tornblom Nov. 14, 1933 1,941,250 Dale Dec. 26, 19332,059,765 Adams Nov. 3, 1936 2,340,436 Stone et a1. Feb. 1, 19442,382,740 Nofisinger Aug. 14, 1945 2,465,570 Bocchino Mar. 29, 1949FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,071 Great Britain May 19, 1911280,379 Germany Nov. 12, 1914

